The death toll is likely to rise further as the hunt for bodies goes on, Brazil's Civil Defence said.
Most deaths occurred in Rio de Janeiro state when shacks built illegally on steep slopes were swept away.
"The number of victims could rise further. The Civil Defence is still on alert and we're still searching for missing people," said Corporal Leonardo Franco from the Civil Defense.
More rain was likely to fall this weekend, the centre said.
Mudslides killed 16 Brazilians in Petropolis, an historic mountain resort near Rio, in January 2003. In December 2001, 52 people died in mudslides in Rio de Janeiro state.
